Section 8.61.020. Inspections.

	(a)  The right of entry to conduct inspections will be exercised in accordance with AS 18.60.083. For the purposes of AS 18.60.083, "appropriate credentials" means an employee identification card indicating that the person is an employee of the department.  
	(b)  Upon refusal to permit a department representative, in the exercise of official duties, to enter without delay and at reasonable times, any place of employment, to inspect, review records, or to question any employer, owner, operator, agent, or employee in accordance with AS 18.60.083, or to permit an employee representative to accompany the department representative during the physical inspection of any workplace in accordance with AS 18.60.087, the department representative shall end the inspection or confine it to other areas where permission to inspect is granted. The department representative shall try to find out the reason for being denied permission to inspect, and immediately report those findings to the director. The director shall consult with the Department of Law regarding appropriate action, including compulsory process, if necessary. If compulsory process is relied on to seek entry to a workplace under this section, an ex parte inspection warrant is the preferred form.  
	(c)  Compulsory process may be sought before an attempted inspection or investigation if, in the judgment of the director and the assistant attorney general, circumstances exist which make such preinspection process desirable or necessary. Some examples of circumstances in which it may be desirable or necessary to seek compulsory process before an attempt to inspect or investigate include  
		(1) when the employer's past practice either implicitly or explicitly puts the department on notice that a warrantless inspection will not be allowed;  
		(2) when circumstances exist that would, as determined by the director, require considerable expenditure of time and money to return to the office for the purpose of obtaining a warrant; or  
		(3) when an inspection includes the use of special equipment or when the presence of an expert is needed in order to properly conduct the inspection, and procuring a warrant before attempting to inspect would alleviate the difficulties or costs encountered in coordinating the availability of that equipment or expert.  
	(d)  Department representatives will, in their discretion, take environmental samples and take or obtain photographs related to the purpose of the inspection, employ other reasonable investigative techniques, and question privately any employer, owner, operator, agent or employee of an establishment. As used in this subsection, the term "employ other reasonable investigative techniques" includes using devices to measure employee exposures and attaching personal sampling equipment such as dosimeters, pumps, badges, and other similar devices to employees in order to monitor their exposures.  
	(e)  At the beginning of the inspection the department's representative shall explain the nature, purpose, and scope of the inspection and which employer records required by this chapter the department's representative intends to review. However, this explanation does not preclude expansion of the scope of the inspection or access to additional employer records required by this chapter.  
	(f)  In taking photographs and samples, the department's representative shall take reasonable precautions to ensure that actions with flash, spark-producing, or other equipment will not be hazardous. The department's representative shall comply with all employer safety and health rules and use appropriate protective clothing and equipment.  
	(g)  At the conclusion of the inspection, the department's representative shall confer with the employer or employer's representative and informally discuss any apparent safety or health violations identified during the inspection. During this conference, the employer may bring to the attention of the department's representative any pertinent information regarding conditions of the workplace.  

Authorities

18.60.020;18.60.075;18.60.083;18.60.087;18.60.030

Notes

Reference

8 AAC 61.030

Authority

AS 18.60.020 AS 18.60.075 AS 18.60.083 AS 18.60.087

Authority

AS 18.60.020 AS 18.60.030 AS 18.60.075

History

Eff. 1/10/75, Register 53; am 11/25/75, Register 56; am 3/31/82, Register 81; am 10/2/83, Register 87; am 7/28/2013, Register 207

History

Eff. 12/6/95, Register 136